Verstappen came to spot Mugello at the wheel of a GT

The addition of new tracks to the 2020 calendar has forced drivers and teams to review their preparations. The scene of a unique Tuscan Grand Prix, Mugello is the first of the new circuits of the year on which the riders will race. 

Some already know the route having competed in promotional formulas. This is for example the case of Lando Norris (McLaren), Nicholas latifi (Williams), Or Lance stroll (RacingPoint). Max Verstappen, whose career before F1 comes down to a single campaign Formula 3 Europe in 2014, is not part of this list. The Red Bull driver could have acclimatized on the F1 simulator Milton Keynes (United Kingdom) but he preferred to have a taste of the track on site. 

« I came here a few weeks ago to discover the circuit because I didn't know it, said Verstappen, then revealing that he was driving a GT. I think this is the best way to learn a circuit.

You have a first reading of the trajectories, a feeling. Naturally, the car was slower but still useful. 

It was important and it gives you a little head start. I know other riders have already raced here so I took a full day to ride ». 

Among the drivers who have already driven at Mugello, Romain Grosjean holds the unofficial track record, having set the best time in the F1 tests held on the Tuscan circuit in 2012 when he was driving for Lotus. 

« It was a long time ago, declared the Frenchman with a smile. I have a few memories but with the new generation of cars, it will be nothing short of exceptional. I can't wait to get behind the wheel. It probably won't be the best track for overtaking, but when it comes to driving pleasure, we'll be very high on the list. ». 

At Williams, George Russell expects the Mugello track to represent « a real physical exam » for pilots. First answers in a few hours with free practice on Friday.